ENVIR ST 106 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Mohs Scale Of Mineral Hardness, Characteristic Class, Atomic Number

• School: UW-Madison
• Department: Envir St - Gaylord Nelson Inst
• Course: ENVIR ST 106
• Professor: All

Document Summary

Elements: have a characteristic number of protons (atomic number z) Atoms: the smallest particle into which an element can be divided while still remaining the chemical characteristics of that element. Nucleus: at the center of the atom, contains one or more particles with a positive electric charge (protons) and usually some particles of similar mass that have no charge (neutrons. Isotopes:atoms of a given element with different atomic masses (atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. *definition of a mineral: naturally occurring, inorganic, solid element or compound with a definite chemical composition and a regular internal crystal structure. Cleavage: characteristic plane along which mineral breaks when struck. Hardness: the ability to resist scratching; e. g. , moh"s scale of hardness: talc = 1; diamond = 10. Streak: color of powder when mineral is rubbed across a hard surface.